Doctors are testing this ‘Fitbit for the stomach’ to help patients lose weight

Spiegel’s team is currently testing the device on patients who are recovering from surgery to assess when they’re ready to consume liquids or solids. Previously, doctors had to guess. Making sure it’s the right time to eat for these patients could prevent complications and help them return home more quickly.

The doctors are also researching whether AbStats can assist patients looking to manage their weight or drop a few pounds. Spiegel thinks that one key reason people gain weight is that they regularly eat full meals before fully digesting the previous one.

As Spiegel explains, the device will flash green, yellow or red to notify a user when it’s the right time to eat. That’s useful as the brain and the gut aren’t always in sync.

“If you don’t give your body a chance to do that (fully digest a meal), you just start piling up the food,” he said. “When you start eating, it stops that process.”